--- title: "7 Union Quotes By Andy Stern" description: "7 Union quotes by Andy Stern. Plus more from Andy Stern and more Union sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/andy-stern-21412_afl_the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides_94954.png" --- > [The AFL-CIO is a structure that divides workers' strength by allowing each union to organize in any industry, then bargain on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides-workers-strength-by-allowing/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/andy-stern-21412_afl_the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides_94954.png) > [I would say the issue for the labor movement in the United States is not structural... there is no correlation between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-movement-in-the-united-states-is/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/andy-stern-21412_correlation_i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-move_213549.png) > [In 1972, I signed a union card for SEIU. And for the last 38 years, 14 as president, it's been my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/in-1972-i-signed-a-union-card-for-seiu-and-for-the-last-38-years-14/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d39/andy-stern-21412_cards_in-1972-i-signed-a-union-card-for-seiu-a_687062.png) > [The union is much more than me, and when you think the union is you and it's not about who you represent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-union-is-much-more-than-me-and-when-you-think-the-union-is-you/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6a/andy-stern-21412_focus_the-union-is-much-more-than-me-and-when_1207792.png) > [The question is always 'What is the role of a labor movement?' How much is about collective bargaining, how much is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-question-is-always-what-is-the-role-of-a-labor-movement-how-much/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/andy-stern-21412_bargaining_the-question-is-always-what-is-the-role_1970167.png) > [We can bring to earth a new world from the ashes of the old because our union transforms us the powerless into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/we-can-bring-to-earth-a-new-world-from-the-ashes-of-the-old-because/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/andy-stern-21412_around-the-world_we-can-bring-to-earth-a-new-world-from-t_2243439.png) > [The union movement has been the best middle class job creating program that America has ever had, and it doesn't cost the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-union-movement-has-been-the-best-middle-class-job-creating/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/andy-stern-21412_america_the-union-movement-has-been-the-best-mid_2391828.png) ## Other authors on Union ## More by Andy Stern > [The AFL-CIO is a structure that divides workers' strength by allowing each union to organize in any industry, then bargain on its own, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides-workers-strength-by-allowing/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [I would say the issue for the labor movement in the United States is not structural... there is no correlation between the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-movement-in-the-united-states-is/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [I was too much of a victim of the model I created. I tried Change to Win and helping Obama, and then I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/i-was-too-much-of-a-victim-of-the-model-i-created-i-tried-change-to/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [In 1972, I signed a union card for SEIU. And for the last 38 years, 14 as president, it's been my life. I've seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/in-1972-i-signed-a-union-card-for-seiu-and-for-the-last-38-years-14/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [And I think we understand we cannot make social change for all workers until we have enough strength, membership strength, and at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/and-i-think-we-understand-we-cannot-make-social-change-for-all/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [Republicans have been very successful. There are three things Americans don't like: big unions, big government and big corporations. So Republicans go after big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/republicans-have-been-very-successful-there-are-three-things/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [The union is much more than me, and when you think the union is you and it's not about who you represent, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-union-is-much-more-than-me-and-when-you-think-the-union-is-you/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [Unions have been the best anti-poverty program that actually worked and did not cost the government a dime. But as unions grow smaller- not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/unions-have-been-the-best-anti-poverty-program-that-actually-worked/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [Today I send this message to every emerging global corporation: "justice; family, community, and union" are the same in every language and, wherever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/today-i-send-this-message-to-every-emerging-global-corporation/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [When I left SEIU, we had started this quality public service agenda to say to our members what I think the United Auto Workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/when-i-left-seiu-we-had-started-this-quality-public-service-agenda-to/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [American workers won't be able to compete fairly for jobs until companies have to pay higher wages in countries like China and India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/american-workers-won-t-be-able-to-compete-fairly-for-jobs-until/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [Manufacturing and other unskilled professions that were union jobs, that allowed people to live a middle-class life, are disappearing both because unions are disappearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/manufacturing-and-other-unskilled-professions-that-were-union-jobs/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [Workers of the world unite. It's not just a slogan anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/workers-of-the-world-unite-it-s-not-just-a-slogan-anymore/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [It has no enforceable standards to stop a union from conspiring with employers to keep another stronger union out or from negotiating contracts with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/it-has-no-enforceable-standards-to-stop-a-union-from-conspiring-with/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) > [America is living through the third economic revolution and our country doesn't really have a plan on how to deal with it, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/america-is-living-through-the-third-economic-revolution-and-our/) [Andy Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stern/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/union/andy-stern/#itemlist", "name": "7 Union Quotes By Andy Stern", "numberOfItems": 7, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The AFL-CIO is a structure that divides workers' strength by allowing each union to organize in any industry, then bargain on its own, even when workers share a common employer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andy Stern" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides-workers-strength-by-allowing/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/andy-stern-21412_afl_the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides_94954.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/andy-stern-21412_afl_the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides_94954.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/andy-stern-21412_afl_the-afl-cio-is-a-structure-that-divides_94954.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The AFL-CIO is a structure that divides workers' strength by allowing each union to organize in any…” — Andy Stern", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would say the issue for the labor movement in the United States is not structural... there is no correlation between the success of workers and how the labor movement is structured.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andy Stern" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stern/i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-movement-in-the-united-states-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/andy-stern-21412_correlation_i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-move_213549.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/andy-stern-21412_correlation_i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-move_213549.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/andy-stern-21412_correlation_i-would-say-the-issue-for-the-labor-move_213549.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would say the issue for the labor movement in the United States is not structural... there is no…” — Andy Stern", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1972, I signed a union card for SEIU. 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